I may be worrying about this too much but I’m noticing the toe stitching on my Alden 405s are starting to create larger gaps especially where the boot bends if that makes sense. The holes where the thread goes into the leather are starting to widen and almost look like small tears. I didn’t know if anyone had issues with this before or if I should just shrug it off and move along. I haven’t really seen this on others posted boot pics.
I have treated the leather with a variety of conditioners over the few years I’ve had them. Pecards or Obenaufs or Alden fine boot cream. Whatever was around. Nothing that should rot the leather though. I really don’t treat the leather much either. Certainly not more than once a month. Usually longer than that. I wear these a good bit but are always conscious about not stepping into the rain much or being too hard on them if I don’t have to. I keep the dust brushed off as well after each use. I’m wondering if the pecards for example gets wedged into the gaps and damaged the leather over time by making it oversaturated. Will this continue to get worse until its just tears through the top of the boot at the creases?
Too much leather treatment is starting to weaken the leather at the bends? Or too little conditioner is making the leather crack or tear? Or they’ll be fine, be like Indy and move on? I'd really like for these to last another 20 years...
It is natural for the stitching to loosen at the greatest flex point on a shoe, however the moc toe is purely cosmetic on the Alden 405s. The entire front part of the Indy boot is a single piece of formed leather and the stitching is applied to make it appear like a separate top piece. In this video tour of the Alden factory, you can see a tailor sewing the toe stitches at the 5:56 mark. The cord used is extremely durable, so even in the unlikely event that a stitch breaks, it won't affect the integrity of the boots. I wore my first pair of Aldens for nearly 20 years and the stitching never failed, despite some fraying / loosening where the boots flex during regular use. So you can rest easy in the knowledge that you have a very solid, well-made pair of boots.
